(a) The Invention
The invention relates to an article for sealing the exposed portion of an electrical connection of two or more cables. The invention also relates to a method of sealing the exposed portion of an electrical connection of two or more cables.
(b) Background and Information
When constructing electrical devices, for example an electric motor it is often necessary to connect two or more cables or wires at a given point to form an "electrical connection." These cables or wires are often of differing gauges. Generally, the insulation has been removed from the end of the cable. The area where the insulation has been removed i.e. the exposed portion must be reinsulated. In the case of a shielded or armored cable, the shielding and armor is also removed and must be reestablished. Further, it is necessary to seal the exposed portion of the cables and the connection from the environment and its effects. This is generally accomplished by installing an enclosure around the region of the connector.
Enclosures suitable for this use can be, polymeric tubes or sleeves and the like. A polymeric sleeve or tube is placed over the electrical connection and secured to the electrical connection for example a retaining device, or by using a polymeric enclosure that is heat shrinkable preferably with a hot melt adhesive or a mastic. Resin or mastic filled enclosures have also been used to seal the electrical connection. Another method is to wrap the electrical connection with some form of tape.
All of these methods suffer from some problems however. While fastened enclosures and the like may insulate they may not seal against environmental effects such as the ingress of moisture. The sealant may not flow enough to fill voids and seal or may flow out with load cycling when the electrical connection is in use, or may dry and crack after a period of time or upon movement of the cables. The application of heat for heat shrinking requires care that the electrical connection and surrounding areas are not damaged from the heat effect. Installations using tape or other wraps require care in application and tend to leak if not properly overlapped.
In U.S. application Ser. No. 646,555 filed Oct. 31, 1984, now abandoned and U.S. application Ser. No. 772,073, filed Sept. 3, 1985 which is a continuation thereof and U.S. application Ser. No. 859,162, filed May 2, 1986 which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 772,073, commonly assigned, and incorporated herein by reference, a polymeric, a crosslinked polymeric gel comprising a crosslinked, non-silicone liquid rubber is described.